The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-12-06

An Awful Case of Poisoning by
a Wisconsin Fiend.

Wellsville, Wis, Dec. 1.-The prosecut- |
ing attorney of Clark county has with
drawn the case against Mrs. Henry Wright
accused Of being accessory to the murder
of her husband, and the woman is now at
liberty to leave the Jail If she wishes to.
So great is the Indignation against her,
however, that she prefers the protection OF
the authorities to miDgling among the peo-
pie, and she is still In the prison. The
dismissal of the case caused great surprise.
The only explanation that the prosecuting
attorney will give is that he does not con-
slder it expedient to prosecute Mrs Wright
because she turned states evidence and
made a confession.
A correspondent visited Mr.. Wright
several times during the past few days and
drew from her full history of the re-
markable crime of which she was accused.
The whole story has never been told be-
fore.
Among the pioneers who came here
twenty years ago when this part of the
state was a wilderness, was q stalwart
young man from Ohio named Daniel Al
leo. Be brought his wife and child and
cleared farm. Although nothing Was
know n about his antecedents be was ex-
ceedingly thrifty, and In ten yours saved
$4,000. He was deyoutly piOus and
courteous, and when the local preacher
was out Of town Allen invariably accepted
the invitation to fill the pulpit. He was
the most popular man in the county, and
all good people looked up to
him.
THE VICTIM ARRIVES ON THE SCENE,
Three years ago middle-aged farmer
named Henry Wright came from Wash
ington county and rented forty acres OF
Aliens farm, with small log house on it.
He had pretty wife, with trim figure.
brown hair and crquettish eyes. They had
fur children. In a short time il was
known that Farmer Allen was getting to b.
remarkably fond of visiting at the home OF
his tenant, Wright.
He spent great deal of his time in
town, and il was noticed that whenever
Wright went away his landlord was pretty
sure to be at the log house. 1t got TO be a
scandal after a while and some OF the
church members demonstrated with him.
lie laughed at their objection and con.
tinued his visits, and also his exhOrtation
| in the church. This sort of thing went on
until the spring of 1886, when his atten-
tons to Mrs. Wright had become notori-
Gus ali over the country. Mrs. Allen, be-
ing bed-ridden with hip disease all this
time, probably heard nothing of it. Finally
Allen, who was completely infatuated with
his tenants wife, made proposition to her
that he should kill his wife ard she her
husband, and both should elOpe to
the west.
THE PRISONERS AT WORK.
The woman wavered for a long time
One day she asked Allen by what method
he proposed to kill the man and woman
The wretch mentioned poison, and recited,
with diabolical minuteness, how certain
drugs could be used in way to sap the
blood of the poisoned victims. Finally the
woman yielded.
Farmer Allen, who attended church tn.
previous morning, kissed the co-conspira-
tor and walked out into the forest on his
errand of murder. Arsenic and strych.
nine were the poisons chosen by Allen
One morning Allen found Mrs. Wright
making cookies In her kitchen. Now was
the opportunity to kill the husband. The
farmer mentioned this to her and she con,
scented to mix large quantity of arsenic
with the dough. Then the cookies were
baked, and when served at the evening
meal were eaten by Wright. A few mo-
ments later the man was rolling about the
floor in excruciating pain. The woman
became frightened, then penitent. Rush
ing to the garnet she seized handful ol
lobelia and steamed the herbs upon the
stove. Then she gave the stuff to the with
ing man and saved his life. When Allen
discovered this he upbraided her for hei
cowardice She mustered enough courage
to tell Allen hat he could kill her if he
wanted to, but under no cons Iteration
the life of her husband. The farmer
laughed and said he would take the case In
hand. A few days after Wright fell alarm
ingly i'll, and complained OF terrible pains
in his stomach. He could scarcely sit up
Thoroughly alarmed at his condition
Wright mounted a horse and started fol-
Greenwood to consult a doc.
tor. Here he met Drs. Murray and Thorn
as, who, after diagnosing his case, pre-
scribed for alcoholic poisoning. The
doctors were well acquainted with Wright
They thought him to be suffering from
drink. On his way home Wright grew SC
i'll that he fell out of his saddle and lay BY
the roadside, where he writhed and scream
ed until nightfall. Then hestag sered te
his feet and with great effort got on MI
horse and rode home. Farmer Allen wa
now at mis- work. Mrs. Wright was per
fectly familiar with all his practice, bu
her fear of the poisoner was so great thai
she did not dare confess the crime.
THE VICTIM DYING.
Wright was reduced to skeleton. Fo
three DAYS he lay about the house suffering
terrible agony. Then he took to his bed.
Meantime Mrs. Allen was slowly sinkin,
into the grave. A sore broke out upon he
hip, and this was dressed each morning by
, her husband. The treatment did The SUI
, fering woman no good, and she grew wOrs
!, each day At her bedside the poisoner wa